Seriatim presentation of articles for viewing



e 1968 5. P. COVPPING ETAL 3,368,701

SERIATIM PRESENTATION OF ARTICLES -FOR VIEWING Filed 001;. 12', 1965 I 4Sheets-Sheet 1 \NVENTORS AT QRNEY 1968 e. P; COPPING ETAL 3,353,701

SERIATIM PRESENTATION OF ARTICLES FOR VIEWING Filed Oct. 12, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvEN'roR 5 BY XM/ nQ ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1968 G. P.COPFVING ETAL 3,368,701

SERIATIM PRESENTATION OF ARTICLES FOR VIEWING Filed Oct. 12. 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 5 KEN/YET M 'WII/II/IMIWI 58 FIG. l0.

INVENTORJ ATTORNEY F 3, 1963 G. P.YCOPPING ETAL 3,368,701

SERIATIM PRESENTATION OF ARTICLES FOR VIEWING Filed Oct. 12, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

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- 5 650/7735/ farm/r4 H6. 9- ,(EWYEF MM W 71/1741 1y INVENTQR 5 ATTQQNEYUnited States Patent M 3,368,701 SERIATIM PRESENTATION OF ARTICLES FORVIEWING Geofirey lPercy Copping, Chesham, and Kenneth William HerbertWhittington, Barking, England, assignors to Her Majestys PostmasterGeneral, London, England Filed Oct. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 495,224 Claimspriority, application Great Britain, Oct. 15, 1964,

42,139/ 64 v Claims. (Cl. 21411) This invention relates to apparatus forpresenting each of a series of articles in turn at a viewing position.

In certain machines handling documents and especiallly machines handlingletters end similar fiat items, the items are presented singly and inturn at a window or opening in the machine for examination. In the caseof a letter coding or sorting machine, the presented letter is viewed byan operator who reads the address on the letter and depresses keysappropriate to that address on a keyboard fitted to the machine.Depression of the keys applies code marks to the letter or controls thesubsequent path of the letter through the machine. Rapidity ofpresentation ensures maximum operator output and minimum eye fatigue butin certain machines there has been an unavoidable delay between theremoval from the viewing position of one item and the presentation of asucceeding item and this has limited the rate of presentation of items.

It is an object of the present invention to provide presentationapparatus in which the delay referred to above is virtually eliminated.

According to the present invention apparatus for presenting each of aseries of fiat items in turn at a viewing position comprises conveyingmeans for bringing each item to the viewing position in a substantiallyvertical orientation, releasable gripping means for holding the itemwhilst in the viewing position along its upper edge, and a controlarrangement for the releasable gripping means to bring said means intooperation when required.

When the gripping means are released the item held thereby falls free ofthe means into a holding position as is described later or may drop intoa receptacle, for example a mail bag, or the item may drop on to aconveyor which transports it from the presentation apparatus.

The gripping means may feed the item into the viewing position and maycomprise a single pair of co-operating rollers at least one of which isdriven and between which the item is passed to be gripped along itsupper edge only between the nip of the rollers whilst the item is in theviewing position. In such case, the grip is released by driving therollers to feed the item from the nip. The length of the roller of thesingle pair must be sufficient to enable the item to be grippedsatisfactorily. Alternatively, a plurality of pairs of co-operatingrollers may be used.

The gripping means may be a movable surface, for example, a shortconveyor belt and a co-operating roller or rollers. Again, the item isgripped in the nip between the roller or rollers and the surface. Theuse of a conveyor belt encourages a more positive entry of the itemsinto the nip.

In a further form of the invention, the movable surface of the grippingmeans is that of a wide-angle cone mounted for rotation about its axisand having the cooperating roller or rollers mounted radially withrespect to that axis and in contact with the cone surface.

Preferably, the rollers and conveyor belt are resiliently mounted insuch manner that they can accommodate items of different thickness.Alternatively, the rollers themselves are formed of a resilientmaterial.

The control arrangement includes a device responsive to passage of theitem to the viewing position and which 3,368,701 Patented Feb. 13, 1968causes the gripping means to grip an item when the latter reaches thatposition. Release of the gripping means is normally effected oncompletion of viewing and may be under the control of an operator whoviews the item in the viewing position. When the gripping means alsofeeds the item into and from the viewing position, the controlarrangement determines the instant at which the feed ceases, the itemthen being held stationary in the viewing position. Feed of the itemfrom the viewing position may be under the control of the operator asbefore.

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now bedescribed in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of part of a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a block schematic diagram of part of a control circuit for theembodiment of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic side and front elevations respectively ofpart of a second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation of part of a third embodiment,

FIG. 7 is a scrap view of a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 6, seen inthe direction of arrow A in FIG. 8,

FIG. 8 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 is a block schematic diagram of part of a control circuit for theembodiment of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, and,

FIG. 10 shows schematically a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

The embodiments illustrated each form part of letter coding and/orsorting apparatus having a keyboard controlled by an operator inaccordance with information read-off from the letters.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus has a destacking devicegenerally indicated at 1 and including a platform 2 which is movable bya feed screw 3. The device also includes a transfer arm (not shown)having a suction head 4 operable to lift letters 5 individually fromplatform 2. An array of driven rollers 6 is mounted adjacent thede-stacking device 1 to feed letters to sets of co-operating rollers 7and 8 which suspend the letters in a viewing position. Guide plates 6Aare disposed between the rollers 6 and between the rollers 6 and therollers 7 and 8. The rollers 7 are mounted on a common shaft which isconnected with driving means (not shown) while the rollers 8 are mountedon axles carried at the lower end of springloaded arms 9. The drive tothe rollers 7 is transmitted through an electromagnetic clutch 10 (FIG.2), and an electromagnetic brake 11 is incorporated between the clutch10 and the rollers 7. Further sets of co-operating rollers 12 and 13 aremounted beneath the rollers 7 and 8 and a window 14 is disposed abovethe rollers 12. A photoelectric cell 15 and an associated source oflight 16 are positioned above the rollers 7 and 8, the light beam fromsource 16 being at right angles to the axes of the rollers.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the photo-electric cell 15 is connected with acircuit 17 arranged to emit a pulse when the cell 15 is exposed to lightfrom the source 16. The

circuit 17 is connected to the brake 11 via a bistable trigger 18. Theclutch 10 is also connected to the bistable trigger 18, a lead 19connecting the latter to the operators keyboard 20.

The general operation of the apparatus is that letters 5 are transferredindividually from the de-stacking device 1 by the suction head 4 of thetransfer arm .(not shown) to the rollers 6 which feed each letter to astored position 5A in which it rests freely in the nip of the rollers 7and 8. From the stored position 5A, the letter is moved to the viewingposition 5B by the rollers 7 and 8 in which posias tion it is suspendedby the rollers at a point adjacent its upper edge. When the operator hasread the address on the letter in the viewing position 58 he operatesthe keyboard 20 and the letter is fed through the rollers 7 and 8 andfalls to a holding position 50 in which it rests in the nip of therollers 12 and 13.

The detailed operation of the apparatus is as follows. Assuming theapparatus to be empty, the operator places a stack of letters on theplatform 2 of the de-stacking device 1 having first knocked down thestack to align the right-hand edges of the letters as viewed from thefront. He then switches on the apparatus whereupon drive is transmittedto the rollers 6 and the light source 16 is energised. Light shines onthe photo-electric cell and an electric pulse is transmitted to thebistable trigger 18 (FIG. 3) to reset it and energise the brake 11 tohold the rollers 7 stationary. The apparatus is then primed by firstdepressing a transport key on the keyboard which causes a letter 5 to betransferred by the suction head 4 from the stack to the rollers 6 andcauses an electric pulse to be transmitted to the bistable trigger 18via the lead 19 whereupon the trigger is set and the clutch 10 isenergised and the brake 11 de-energised. Energisation of the clutch 10causes drive to be transmitted to the rollers 7. The rollers 6 carry theletter 5 to the rollers 7 and 8 and the letter interrupts the beam oflight passing from the source 16 to the photo-electric cell 15 but thishas no effect on trigger 18. The letter is fed into the rollers 7 and 8until its trailing (upper) edge moves clear of the light source 16whereupon light falls on the cell 15 and the bistable trigger 18 isreset again and the brake 11 energised to bring the rollers 7 to rest.The operation of the brake 11 is rapid and the rollers 7 are brought torest in a matter of milliseconds. The arrangement is such that when therollers 7 are braked, the letter 5 is still in the grip of the rollers 7and 8 and is in fact suspended near its upper edge in the viewingposition 5B.

Next, a special priming key is depressed which results in a secondletter 5 being fed to the rollers 6 but does not transmit a pulse alonglead 19 to set the trigger 18 and energise the clutch 10. Therefore, thefirst letter remains in the viewing position 58. The second letter isfed through the rollers 6 and falls into the stored position 5A in whichit rests freely and interrupts the beam of light from the source 16.Again, this interruption has no effect. The leading edge of the secondletter lies behind the trailing edge of the first letter. The apparatusis now primed. However, to load the apparatus fully, the transport keyis depressed again whereupon the l'lrst letter in the viewing position5B is released by the rollers 7 and 8 and falls to the holding position5C; the second letter (in the stored position 5A) is fed through therollers 7 and 8 immediate- 1y following the first letter allowing thephoto-electric cell 15 to reset the trigger 18 and brake the rollers 7when the trailing edge of the letter moves clear of the light beam fromsource 16; a third letter which has, in the meanwhile, been transferredfrom the stack to the rollers 6, then comes to rest in the storedposition 5A.

When the apparatus has been fully loaded, the operator keys each letterto its eventual destination while it is in the holding position 5C.Throughout the operation of the apparatus, each letter is read in theviewing position 5B and keyed when in the holding position 50. Thisenables the operator to increase his rate of working and to check aletter when it has passed from the viewing position 5B but before it isdispatched to its destination. The window 14 retains the letters in theholding position 5C should they fall forward. The rollers 13 have drivetransmitted to them when an address is keyed and the letter is fedthrough the rollers 12 and 13. Also, a keying operation has the sameeffect as the depression of the transport key in the priming operationwhich is to transfer a further letter from the stack to the storedposition 5A and to move letters in the stored, viewing and holdingpositions to the respective succeeding positions. As letters are takenfrom the stack, the platform 2 of the de-stacking device 1 is movedupwardly by the feed screw 3 to maintain the top of the stack at aconstant height. Because the letters are knocked down prior to beingplaced on the platform 2, substantially correct alignment of the lettersas they pass through the apparatus is ensured.

Any variation in the thickness of the letters is accommodated bymovement of the spring-loaded arms 9 on which the rollers 8 are mounted.

A principal advantage of the apparatus described is that as soon as a.latter starts to move from the viewing position 5B to the holdingposition 50, a letter in the stored position 5A starts to enter theviewing position immediately, whereas in prior apparatus the letter has,for example, been supported on a trap door which had to be kept openlong enough to allow a letter having the maximum permissible dimension(in the direction of travel) to drop clear. Also, with the use of aquick-operating electromagnetic clutch 10 and brake 11, the operatingspeed of the apparatus is further increased. A secondary advantage isthat as the letters are suspended in the viewing position 5B, there isno need for a viewing window and this gives the operator anuninterrupted view of each letter. Also, there is easy access to aletter in the viewing position should it be necessary to withdraw theletter by hand. Yet a third advantage is secured because letters have topass between rollers or belts and rollers only, there being no hazardssuch as flaps. Elimination of such flaps also removes the need ofassociated operating mechanisms.

The rollers 8, as well as the rollers 7, may be positively driven toobtain a more positive feed of the letters through the rollers and amore positive stopping and starting. action. If both the rollers 7 and 8are driven a difiiculty does arise in independently suspending eachroller 8 on its arm 9.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an alternative mechanism for suspending a letter inthe viewing position 5B. The rollers. 8 are replaced by belts 21 andupper and lower pulleys. 22 as used in timing gear, the lower pulleyseach being carried on a separate spring-loaded arm 22a pivoted on theaxis of the upper pulley, and each belt 21 being positively driven, therollers 7 also being positively driven as before. A letter is fed to achute 23 and the leading, edge of the letter settles against the belts21. The shape of the chute is such that part of the underside of theletter rests on the rollers 7 and such that the inclination of theletter to the vertical does not exceed about When the letter is to bemoved to the viewing position. 58, it is found that there is littletendency for the letter to hesitate before passing between the rollers 7and the. belt 21 and that when in the viewing position, its lead-- ingedge is substantially horizontal since the arrangement just describedpermits any misorientation of a letter reaching the stored position 5Ato be corrected. This arrange-- ment is also particularly useful whencomparatively thick letters are to be handled.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be modii lied so that theletter in the holding position 5C is also suspended, instead of restingon rollers 12 and 13. Sets of rollers similar to 7 and 8 would bemounted approximately midway between rollers 7, 8 and rollers 12, 13, togrip the upper edge of the letter in the holding position 5C, but inthis position the rollers carried on springloaded arms would have to beat the rear, to avoid obstructing the operators view of the letter inthe viewing position 5B. Instead of rollers similar to 7, 8, belts androllers as in FIGS. 4 and 5 could be used to suspend the the letter inthe holding position 5C, with the belts at the rear to avoid obstructingthe operators view. In either case the rollers 12, 13 would becomecontinuously-rotating transport rollers.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 to 9, a third embodiment is shown which has ade-stacking unit 1, rollers 6 and a keyboard 20 as in the firstembodiment but has different means for presenting the letters to theviewing position.

A shallow cone 30 having a surface of resilient material is mounted forrotation about a horizontal axis, drive being transmitted via a clutchand a brake 11 similar to those parts in the first embodiment. Two sets31a, 31b of free-running rollers are arranged to contact the surface ofthe cone 30 along generators of the cone, set 31a lying along thegenerator perpendicular to the line of entry of the letters while theother set 31b lies along the horizontal generator.

An annular window 32 is formed in the cone 30 behind which window ismounted the photo-electric cell and in front of which is mounted thelight source 16.

A series of equi-spaced holes 35 is formed in the cone 30 adjacent theperiphery thereof, and a further photo-electric cell 33 and associatedlight source 34 are mounted behind and in front of the cone 30respectively, at the same radius from the cone axis as the holes.

The control circuit shown in FIG. 9 is similar to that shown in FIG. 3except that a changeover switch 36 is incorporated to connect either thephoto-electric cell 15 and the pulse circuit 17 or the photo-electriccell 33 and pulse circuit 37 to the bistable trigger 18.

Referring again to FIGS. 6 to 8, a guide plate 38 having an upturnededge 39 is positioned to feed letters on to the surface of the cone 30and a rotatably-mounted, S-shaped arm 40 is mounted adjacent the lowerend of guide plate 38. The edge 39 is aligned with the apex of the cone.

Assuming the apparatus is empty, the operation is as follows. A stack ofletters is knocked down so that the upper and right-hand edges, asviewed from the front, are aligned and the stack is placed on theplatform 2 of the de-stacking device 1 so that the right-hand edges ofthe letters constitute the leading edges when the letters are fed to therollers 6. The changeover switch 36 is set to the position shown in FIG.9 to render the photo-electric cell 33 operative and the photo-electriccell 15 inoperative. The operator depresses the transport key on thekeyboard resulting in a letter 5 being transferred from the stack to therollers 6. Simultaneously, the clutch 10 is energised and the brake 11de-energised so that the cone 30 is rotated until a hole 35 in the coneis aligned with the source of light 34 and photo-electric cell 33whereupon a pulse is transmitted from the circuit 37 to reset thebistable trigger 18 which energises the brake 11, tie-energises theclutch 10 and the cone 30 is brought to rest. The letter 5 then reachesthe cone via guide plate 38 and comes to rest in a first stored position5A.

The transport key is depressed again and, as the rotation of the conestarts, the first letter is carried round towards a second storedposition 5A" and is inclined forwardly as shown in FIG. 7 by the actionof the arm 40, which is rotated through half of one revolution upondepression of the transport key or upon completion of any other keysequence, the rotation beginning simultaneously with the rotation of thecone 30 and ending before the leading edge of the next letter reachesthe arm. The cone comes to rest with the first letter in position 5A,the angular movement of the cone being governed by the spacing of theholes 35, and the next letter. In the second stored position 5A", thefirst letter is gripped beween the cone and the free-running set 31a ofrollers. Depression of the transport key is repeated until the firstletter reaches the viewing position 5B in which it is suspended adjacentits upper edge between the surface of the cone 30 and the lower set 31bof the rollers with its leading edge (not the lower edge of the letter)substantially horizontal. To ensure that this leading edge of the letteris substantially horizontal when in the viewing position 5B, the angle Z(as seen in FIG. 10) between the line of entry of a letter (i.e. theedge 39 of the guide plate) and the horizontal must be an integralmultiple of the angle Y through which the cone turns at each movement.The angle Y is, of course, an integral sub-multiple of 360, the valuedepending upon the angular spacing of the holes 35. It is advisable forangle Z to be greater than to ensure that the edge of a letter in thefirst stored position 5A stays in contact with the edge 39 of the guideplate. A suitable value for Z lies between and A fan of 3, 4 or 5letters on the cone at once has been found to be most suitable and, ifZ=nY where n=2 for 3 letters in fan n=3 for 4 letters in fan n:4 for 5letters in fan then, using the limits of Z mentioned above, Y liesbetween the values 95 4 and 120/4-i.e. between 24 and 60. A convenientvalue for Y is 36, giving a value of 108 for Z and an arrangement offour letters in a fan (as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 10).

In the substantially horizontal viewing position, as seen in FIGS. 6 and8, the right-hand edge of the first letter interrupts the light beamfrom the source 16 to thephotoelectric cell 15. The interruption occursas the letter attains this horizontal viewing position because it, andeach subsequent letter, is fed on to the cone in a position such thatthe letter rotates about its top right-hand corner, as viewed from thefront, when carried by the cone. This is achieved by aligning theupturned edge 39 of the guide plate with the apex of the cone, and bythe positioning of the upper set 31a of rollers as described above. Theapparatus is fully loaded by depressing the transport key yet again sothat the first letter is moved clear of the a ated to make the.photo-electric cell 15 operative and the photo-electric cell 33inoperative. The circuitry 17 is arranged to emit an electric pulse whenlight to the cell 15 fromthe source 16 is interrupted (instead of viceversa as in the first embodiment), restoration of the light having noeffect. When the first letter is keyed, the clutch 10 is energised andthe brake 11 dc-energised so that the cone 30 rotates and drive istransmitted to rollers 13. The first letter is thus fed through therollers 12 and 13 from the hold ng position 5C, the second letter dropsfrom the VlCWlIlg position 53 to the holding position 5C and the thirdletter enters the viewing position. As the third letter enters theviewing position, its right-hand edge approaches the path between thephoto-electric cell 15 and the light source 16 and interrupts the lightwhen it reaches the set viewing position. Interruption of the lightresults in the circuitry 17 emitting an electric pulse which resets thebistable trigger 18 to energise the brake 11 and deenergise the clutch10. Thus, the cone 30 is brought to rest only when the third letter isin the correct viewing position 5B whilst the other letters on the cone30 progress as already mentioned and a further letter is fed on to thecone from the stack. The procedure is repeated as often as necessary,the feed screw 3 of the tie-stacking device 1 maintaining the top of thestack of letters at a predetermined height as before.

There is a minimum period during which a letter presented for readingmust be stationary but apart from this, the maximum number of letterswhich the apparatus can handle in a given time is determined by thepeeds of operation of the clutch 10 and the brake 11. As in the firstdescribed embodiment, the clutch 10 and the brake 11 are electromagneticand comparatively fast operating (a matter of milliseconds) and, as eachangular movement of the cone 30 is small, angular acceleration andtherefore clutch and brake torque requirements are minimised, resultingin an increased operational speed of the apparatus.

The apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 may be modified for example,by accommodating the photo-electric cell in an annular groove in thesurface of the cone 30. Alternatively, the photo-electric cell 15 andassociated light source 16 can be omitted and the photo-electric cell 33permanently connected to the bistable trigger 18. In such anarrangement, the cone 30 is rotated through a fixed angle each time, theangle being governed by the spacing of the holes 35. A disadvantage ofthis arrangement is that the cone 30 is brought to rest irrespective ofwhether the letter entering the viewing position 5A is exactlyhorizontal. A further modification is that the sets 31a, 31b of rollersmay be replaced by narrow angle cones which contact the cone 30 alongrespective generators positioned as before. Also, the rotatable arm 40may be dispensed with if the articles being handled are stilt so thatthey automatically fall forward when fed on to the surface of the cone30. However, if any of the articles are flimsy or bowed, it is almostessential to have the arm 40 or a similar device to clear the way forthe entry of succeeding articles.

In any of the arrangements described, the de-stacking device may be of atype other than that referred to and any of the various rollers employedmay be of the resilient type. Also, means other than photo-electriccells can be used in the control of the apparatus and the rollers 12 and13 may be replaced by a controllable flap for example.

Further, apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is notrestricted to the handling of letters but is applicable to anysubstantially fiat articles.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for presenting each of a series of individual flat itemswhich are not connected to one another in turn at a viewing positioncomprising in combination:

(a) conveying means for bringing each item in turn to the viewingposition in a substantially vertical orientation,

(b) gripping means located at the viewing position for holding the itemwhilst in the viewing position along its upper edge only, and

(c) releasable control means for controlling the operation of saidgripping means and conveying means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the gripping means comprisesmeans for feeding the item from the conveying means into the viewingposition and for thereafter holding the item, in that viewing position,along its upper edge only.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the gripping means comprisesas its feeding and holding means a single pair of cooperating rollers atthe viewing position, at least one of which is driven, the item beingpassed between said rollers and being held thereby, whilst in theviewing position, along its upper edge only.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the gripping means comprisesas its feeding and holding means a plurality of pairs of cooperatingrollers at the viewing position at least one of each pair being driven,the item simultaneously passing between the rollers of each pair andbeing held thereby, whilst in the viewing position, along its upper edgeonly.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the gripping means comprisesas its feeding and holding means a movable surface cooperating with atleast one roller at the viewing position, the item passing between themovable surface and the roller and being held thereby, whilst in theviewing position, along its upper edge only.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the movable surface is thatof a drivable conveyor belt, the item passing between the conveyor beltand the at least one roller and being held thereby along its upper edgeonly hilst in the viewing position.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the movable surface is thatof a wide-angle cone mounted for rotation about its axis, the at leastone roller being located at the viewing position and mounted in contactwith the cone surface along a generator of the surface, the rotatingsurface of the cone conveying an item between the at least one rollerand the surface of the cone into the viewing position where it is heldalong its upper edge only.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the control means comprisesmeans for determining the instant at which the feed ceases for causingthe item to then be held stationary by the gripping means.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the means responsive to thepassage of the item comprises in combination a photo-electric cell andan associated radiation beam, said beam positioned to be normallyincident on the cell, and to be interrupted by the passing of an item tothe viewing position, operation of the gripping means being controlledby the excitation or non-excitation of the photo-electric cell by saidassociated radiation beam.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the control means furthercomprises means responsive to the angular position of the rotating conefor controlling the conveyance of an item to the viewing position.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the cone contains a seriesof equi-spaced holes disposed in a circle, the centre of said circlelying on the axis of rotation of the cone, and in which the meansresponsive to the angular position of the rotating cone comprises aphoto-electric cell and associated radiation beam mounted on oppositesides of the cone and each at the same radius from the axis of the coneas said holes, the rotating cone being brought to rest each time a holein the cone is in alignment with the radiation beam and photo-electriccell.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising, incombination with said control means, keyboard operated means controllingboth said control means to govern the passage of an item through theapparatus and the eventual destination of said item.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising, incombination with said cone, guide plate and cooperating rotatable armmeans for ensuring that the items are fed in turn on to the surface ofthe cone in overlapping relationship.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the control means comprisesmeans for determining the instant at which the feed ceases for causingthe item to then be held stationary by the gripping means.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising, incombination with said control means, keyboard operated means forcontrolling both said control means to govern the passage of an itemthrough the apparatus and the eventual destination of said item.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which the means responsive tothe passage of the item comprises in combination a photo-electric celland an associated radiation beam, said beam positioned to be normallyincident on the cell, and to be interrupted by the passing of an item tothe viewing position, operation of the gripping means being controlledby the excitation or non-excitation of the photo-electric cell by saidassociated radiation beam.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the control means comprisesmeans responsive to the passage of the item to the viewing position forcausing the gripping means to grip the item when said item reaches thatposition.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which the means responsive tothe passage of the item comprises in combination a photo-electric celland an associated radiation beam, said beam positioned to be normallyincident on the cell, and to be interrupted by the passing of an item tothe viewing position, operation of the gripping means being controlledby the excitation or non-excitation 9 of the photo-electric cell by saidassociated radiation beam.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the components of thegripping means are of a resilient material.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the components of thegripping means are resiliently mounted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,656,054 10/1953 Gleason 214-112,677,473 5/1954 Piggott et a1 21411 2,984,349 5/1961 Mathis 198 106/1961 Rabinow et al 271-57 X 1/1962 Osborn et a1 214--11 11/1962Francois 21411 9/1963 Goodell et a1. 21411 FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1930Germany.

RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner. EVON c. BLUNK, Examiner.

M. L. AJEMAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR PRESENTING EACH OF A SERIES OF INDIVIDUAL FLAT ITEMSWHICH ARE NOT CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN TURN AT A VIEWING POSITIONCOMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) CONVEYING MEANS FOR BRINGING EACH ITEM INTURN TO THE VIEWING POSITION IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL ORIENTATION,(B) GRIPPING MEANS LOCATED AT THE VIEWING POSITION FOR HOLDING THE ITEMWHILST IN THE VIEWING POSITION ALONG ITS UPPER EDGE ONLY, AND (C)RELEASABLE CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID GRIPPINGMEANS AND CONVEYING MEANS.
 2. APPARATUS AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 IN WHICHTHE GRIPPING MEANS COMPRISES MEANS FOR FEEDING THE ITEM FROM THECONVEYING MEANS INTO THE VIEWING POSITION AND FOR THEREAFTER HOLDING THEITEM, IN THAT VIEWING POSITION, ALONG ITS UPPER EDGE ONLY.
 14. APPARATUSIS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 2 IN WHICH THE CONTROL MEANS COMPRISES MEANS FORDETERMINING THE INSTANT AT WHICH THE FEED CEASES FOR CAUSING THE ITEM TOTHEN BE HELD STATIONARY BY THE GRIPPING MEANS.
 15. APPARATUS AS CLAIMEDIN CLAIM 14 AND FURTHER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION WITH SAID CONTROLMEANS, KEYBOARD OPERATED MEANS FOR CONTROLLING BOTH SAID CONTROL MEANSTO GOVERN THE PASSAGE OF AN ITEM THROUGH THE APPARATUS AND THE EVENTUALDESTINATION OF SAID ITEM.